Pages

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The Decimation of Mae by DH Sidebottom ~ Release Day Review and Giveaway

Title: The Decimation of Mae

Author: D.H. Sidebottom

Genre: Dark Erotica

Release Date: July 15 2014

Rating:

Synopsis

***WARNING***
This story doesn’t contain hearts and flowers, it doesn’t even contain the word ‘love’. It isn’t for the fainthearted, nor those who want romance and happy ever afters.
It’s dark, in fact it goes beyond the dark realms of misery and despair. It makes your heart suffer, it will beat you down and it will still demand more from you.
Yet, it is still a story of hope and courage. Friendships develop and understanding digs deep, whilst acceptance and surrender give way to reverence and sacrifice.
It contains disturbing scenes of sexual violence, cruelty and torture. It also includes self-harm, pain addiction and brutalisation.
Please bear this in mind before purchasing this book. Thank you.
The Devil visited me three times in my life, albeit, my short life. Not in the physical sense you must understand, but very much literally.
He was persistent, if not resolute and tenacious. His ruthless greed to annihilate me was utterly disturbed. I am sure if he had hierarchy, the man at the top would have dragged his arse into Hell prison just for his unscrupulous methods.
I was just fifteen when I first became aware of what he was capable of. This initial taste of him set the playing field for how my life was to be lived – for want of a better word.
He mocked me at this point, showed me mercilessly how he played the game, and how he liked to cheat at said game. He ridiculed and taunted until six months later, he won and took something of so much importance from me that I would never be the same again.
His second visit was, in my eyes, so much more cruel and heartless. I know we’re talking about the devil here, and yes, you have a right to say he had no heart, but even then, even when I was so utterly broken, I begged to differ and hoped – no prayed, that somewhere deep in the caverns of his black and tortured soul there was something that beat and confused his emotions once in a while.
But the third visit was somewhat different than the other two. He tried, and at first succeeded, to bring me to my knees once and for all but then something happened. God finally intervened and altered Satan’s intention; he sent hope and morphed the Devil’s minion into an Angel, hoping to break and shatter the anguish and suffering. He gave the ability for me to feel pleasure in pain, order in the chaos and light in the darkness.
But in giving me a reprieve, he also gave me something that would finally and ultimately obliterate me. He gave me the capability to love, therefore giving me the ability to be destroyed.
And Satan made sure that I was destroyed. Cruelly, viciously and sadistically.
I am Mae Swift, and this is the story of my decimation.

Lorie’s Review

DARK AND HAUNTING ….IT WILL LEAVE YOU BREATHLESS!!!!

This is one of the best brutal and emotionally punishing rides I have ever been on!

The Decimation of Mae is exquisite, raw, intense, gritty, and most of all it’s a SPELLBINDING PAGE TURNER – everything that makes a book PHENOMENAL! It’s so emotional and gripping my heart was threatening to beat right out of my chest. Yes, it’s dark and edgy. It WILL make you uncomfortable. It IS difficult to read at times. It WILL make you flinch, gasp, cringe, and close your eyes wishing it all to go away. But, it will also captivate you entirely – heart and soul.

Mae’s had a difficult life, but one she’s accepted and simply lived until she meets the devil himself. Mae is kidnapped and thrown into an unimaginably dark world of slave training. She’s unaware of her ultimate destiny to be a slave. She merely thinks she’s been kidnapped for the sole benefit of the devil himself. Mae is determined to never stop fighting or willingly submit. The events that ensue are nothing like you have ever read before. Mae is now merchandise, a slave, property, a whore, and now…. stock. That word definitely had me siting up and taking notice. I think this word is the most debasing of all, stripping a woman of all identity. I was gobsmacked at things that took place, and what Mae endured. It is beyond me how someone could still put up a fight after all of that.

Mae is a strong and admirable heroine. I love seeing things through her eyes. How she views and interprets things is just so awe inspiring and wise beyond her years. She's almost philosophical without even realizing it. I cried for Mae. Not because of what she endured at the hands of “the devil” but for what her life had been up until the point she met him.

I think what makes this book even more intense is that it’s only seen through the eyes of Mae. We don’t get a glimpse into what’s going on in “the devil’s” head. Even though he’s a monster of the utmost proportions, there’s just something about him that can make you bend to his will and empathize with him. It’s sick and disturbing to feel that way, but it’s also human nature to want to please and be accepted; and, Mae is certainly not immune in that respect. But I must say THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A SEX SLAVE STORY. I can’t say much else because what I am not saying is the heart and soul of Mae’s story, and it’s too fabulous to spoil. Just know this……..

On more than one occasion I was thinking what is “the devil’s” deal??? I was dying to know. DH gave us next to nothing. I was just as much in the dark about this guy as Mae was. Who is this guy and why did he target Mae???? Well, well, well.... that and a few other secrets are spilled and boy are they BIG…. MONSTROUS… HUGE…. EARTH-SHATTERING.

The storytelling is simply BRILLIANT. DH paints a picture so vivid that it played out in my mind with such clarity it was just unbelievable. There was certainly no shortage of twists and turns. It certainly kept me on my toes with all the OMFG moments hitting me left and right, and I gave up trying to guess the storyline pretty early on. The most brilliant part???? Not a single one of the twists, turns, or WTF moments felt contrived or purposely placed making it feel disjointed or awkward. I honestly feel DH has created a story worthy of a solid 5 stars!

I LOVED IT A THOUSAND TIMES OVER!!!! The ending was absolutely perfect and not rushed at all – THANK YOU! Rushing would have ruined the entire book. Too many times have I read a book only to feel like I was in a book store near closing time being pushed to make my final purchase then swiftly ushered out of the store, hearing the click of the lock behind me leaving me standing in the parking lot thinking WTF just happened? DH basically left the doors unlocked and said take all the time you need, just let me know when you’re ready. FABULOUS FABULOUS ENDING!!!!

I think I’ve definitely found a new favorite dark read author to add to my list! DH Sidebottom’s Fragile Truths definitely put me on notice, but The Decimation of Mae solidified her place on my list. Bravo DH Sidebottom, Bravo!

Purchase Links

Author Bio

Author of The Heart of Stone, Room 103 and Shadows of Sin series, and upcoming The Blue Butterfly series.

D H Sidebottom is a fulltime mum/author. She lives in Derbyshire, England with her children and two dogs. She is an avid reader and her tastes range from horror to erotic, but she loves to help new authors get into the ‘scene’. She loves rock music and tattooed guys, and has a weakness for coffee, wine and Belgium buns.